Zanzibar, a tropical dream island.
Introduction
When I was about 13 years old, I read a little booklet called "A Dream of Zanzibar". Zanzibar is a paradise-like island where it is always summer and whose nature is rich. It is about 40 x 90 km (25 x 56 miles) in size and is located just off the coast of Tanzania in the Pacific Ocean, about 50 km (31 miles) from Dar es Salaam.
Later I came to know that its previously so beautiful nature has later been spoiled by too much human settlement and by activities that are indifferent to nature values.
Humans have spoiled a lot of beautiful and irreplaceable nature all over the world. While working at the Vocational School of the city of Espoo as an unqualified substitute teacher of theory subjects in the late 1970s, I was tasked with showing all the classes in the auditorium the American so-called "Pollution movie".
As I recall, the film first showed the ten most beautiful natural sites in the world and said the following about them: "The Creator has created such a beautiful world for us!" After that, it showed the world's ten most degraded natural sites and said: "But this is how people carelessly changed it!"
The movie really shocked me and all the school classes. Many teachers came to thank me for showing it to them and their classes, even though I was only acting as a film machine operator. Some male teachers had refused to perform it and they decided without asking my permission to order me to perform it(?)
We read the following from the Bible's account of paradise: (Genesis 2:15)
" Yehowah Elohim took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."
As a result of the Fall, humanity has corrupted almost the entire earth, seas and atmosphere. We live in a time when humanity has woken up to understand the seriousness of the matter due to circumstances. Yet selfishness prevents nations from taking the necessary measures. We find the reason for this in the Bible: (1 John 5:19)
" We know that we are of Elohim, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one."
It's good to keep this in mind when we move on later to consider what could be a human being's best dream? Before that, however, it's good to remember what was...Our creator's original dream of man
In creating a man in his own image and likeness, our Creator fulfilled his great dream by creating a human being as his own beloved child and friend, with whom he could associate through the eternities. But the devil, enemy of the souls, succeeded in leading our ancestors astray and into isolation from their Creator.
However, our Creator had already taken into account the possibility that human being could be disobedient. For that, he had prepared a perfect salvation plan for people in his mind even before the creation of the world.
This is evident from 1 Peter 1:17-21 & Revelation 13:8
1 Peter 1:17-21
" 17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as strangers here in reverent fear:
18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of HaMashiach;
20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,
21 who through him are believers in Elohim, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in Elohim."
" 17 If you call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judges according to each man’s work, pass the time of your living as strangers here in reverent fear:
18 knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,
19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of HaMashiach;
20 who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake,
21 who through him are believers in Elohim, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in Elohim."
Rev. 13:8
"all who dwell on the earth will worship him (ie the Beast), everyone whose name is not written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain, from the foundation of the world."
"all who dwell on the earth will worship him (ie the Beast), everyone whose name is not written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain, from the foundation of the world."
We notice from those and several other passages of the Bible the unquenchable and eternal nature of love with which our Creator has loved us human beings despite all the crimes, horrors and bottomless depravity we have committed.
Our creator also has a dream for you and your future! It is the best possible for you, which nothing else can replace! That's why it's good for you to keep that in mind when we finally move on to thinking about your own best dream.
A Bible believer's best dream
However, depression has grown sharply in Finland!
The following link is only into Finnish article: https://yle.fi/a/3-11230652
>>Two years ago, the number of disability pensions and sickness absences due to depression turned to a sharp increase. Depressive symptoms have also increased among working-age people, especially young people. Now mental health disorders are catching up with diseases of the musculoskeletal system as the biggest cause of disability pension.<< The following link is only into Finnish article: https://yle.fi/a/3-11230652
Depression has grown in the same proportion as the majority of people in Finland (and in other so called Christian countries) have given up on Christianity and its healing and preventing power against depression and the purposelessness of life. They are clearly in a cause and effect relationship with each other!
That's why a person finds help for his/her life only in a living connection with his/her Creator! So it is completely understandable and reasonable to seek a living connection with our Creator and strive to find out the best dream prepared by him for each person individuallyand communally!
His dream for you is to forgive you all your sins and create a new spiritual creation out of you, capable of communicating him and receiving the eternal life as a gift, and inexhaustible grace, perfect wisdom, riches and his endless love.
He still does not force or pressure you to believe in him, because he respects the free will and freedom of choice of all people. We have such a noble and deeply loving God!
AN APPEAL TO YOU
If you are young, with a free life just beginning or you are middle-aged, then be, you dear person, be wise and build your life on a sure and lasting foundation, that is, in connection with your Creator, by taking instruction from the words of Elohim by reading the Bible, as in Deut. 33:3 is written.
Ask him in prayer for guidance and leading in all the questions and decisions of your life as in the verse Eph. 2:10 is told and follow his advice. Then you can live for the joy of your Creator, for the benefit of your neighbors, and you will receive the greatest possible blessing and joy for yourself as well!
If you are already old and your life time is near ending, then Elohim still loves you and calls you to a valuable prayer task and an experience expert to guide the young and the middle-aged believers as well, so that they can avoid the traps set by the Devil. Elohim does not abandon you, but wants to lead you to the heavenly home, as verse Isa. 46:4 promises!
Deut. 33:3
"Adonai loves the nations, all their saints are in his hand. They sit at your feet, learn from your words."
Eph. 2:10
"For we are his handiwork, created in HaMashiach Yeshua for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Isa. 46:4
"Until your old age, I will be the same, even when you are gray, I will carry you. That is what I have done, and from now on I will lift, I will carry and I will save."
I finish my article on Paul's exhortation
2 Cor. 6:14-18
2 Cor. 6:14-18
" 14 Do not give yourself up to carrying a foreign burden together with unbelievers; for what has righteousness and unrighteousness in common? Or what connection has light and darkness? 15 And how do HaMashiach and Beliar fit together? Or what share does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
16 And how do the temple of Elohim and the idols fit together? For we are the temple of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them and be their Elohim, and they shall be my people."
17 Therefore: "Go out from among them and separate from them, says Adonai, and do not touch the unclean thing; then I will take you into my care 18 and I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says Adonai, the Almighty".
( El Shaddai *) translates as 'Almighty' ).
*) El Shaddai is also the title of HaMashiach Yeshua, for he is now temporarily Almighty until Father Elohim takes all authority and power. However, in that quote from the OT, Paul is referring to the Father of HaMashiach Yeshua and our heavenly Father: Yehowah Elohim.
More of the Names of our Creature:
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/n/Names_of_God_in_Judaism.htm
*) El Shaddai is also the title of HaMashiach Yeshua, for he is now temporarily Almighty until Father Elohim takes all authority and power. However, in that quote from the OT, Paul is referring to the Father of HaMashiach Yeshua and our heavenly Father: Yehowah Elohim.
More of the Names of our Creature:
https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wikispeedia/wpcd/wp/n/Names_of_God_in_Judaism.htm
***
Finally I'll put two links below to the same song that fits the topic, because sometimes these good songs are removed from Youtube.
EL SHADDAI - Michael Card - Worship Video with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldUEIpjmwsQ
El Shaddai - Maranatha music
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpabNYLaW0
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